Lady Bengals ready for repeat

Since 2011, each Lady Bengal softball player has won a ring during their LSUE career.
In 2011, the Lady Bengals won their first national championship and LSUE finished as runners-up in 2012.
LSUE won back-to-back titles in 2013-14, but failed to reach the World Series in 2015.
According to LSUE head coach Andy Lee, that dissapointment seemed to serve as motivation for the sophomores as the Lady Bengals earned their fourth championship this past season with a 12-4 win over Region 23 rival Jones County Junior College.
Even a title, Lee said he expects this year’s team to be just as hungry as they seek to repeat.
“With four pitchers, two All-American hitters and a talented group around them,” Lee said, “we have a strong nucleus coming back.”
LSUE will have 12 sophomores returning including All-Americans Rebecca Skains (West Ouachita) and Darby Bishop (Hickory, Mississippi).
Skains was also the MVP and Most Outstanding Offensive Player in the World Series as the Lady Bengals captured the 2016 title.
Skains hit .477 on the season with a school record 25 home runs.
She also had 83 RBI, 22 doubles, three triples, 103 hits and 82 runs scored. Skains finished the 2016 season with 23 stolen bases with 19 walks and only 10 strikeouts in 216 at bats.
The Lady Bengal first baseman had a .993 fielding percentage with just two errors on the season with 271 out-outs.
Bishop was named the nation’s best designated player as she led LSUE with a .480 batting average and finished the season with 80 RBI, 12 home runs, two triples, 15 doubles, 64 runs scored and 95 hits.
Bishop had 12 walks and only four strikeouts in 198 plate appearances.
Lee added he was happy to see the contributions from outfielders Bobbi Smith (West Ouachita), Molly Wilson (Castor), Jeanmarie Angelle (Cecilia) along with catcher Savannah Lejeune (Catholic High of Pointe Coupee)as well as infielders Abby Mondy (Lafayette) and Hope Vizinat (Dutchtown) last season.
“I am expecting this group to lead this season,” he said.
“They are a talented bunch.”
Smith and Wilson were both named to the World Series All-Tournament team for their strong performances during the tournament.
Smith finished the year with a .353 batting average with 23 RBI and 24 stolen bases.
Wilson hit .348 with eight home runs, 44 RBI, and 11 steals.
Angelle hit .343 with 40 RBI, nine home runs, 12 doubles and 12 steals.
Lejeune hit .273 with 13 RBI as strong presence behind the plate.
Mondy hit .450 with 27 hits, 10 steals and 24 runs scored.
Vizinat batted .320 with 25 RBI, six doubles and 20 runs scored.
Marry Guillory (St. Louis) hit .118 with three stolen bases and six walks in limited action last season.
Abigail Leonards (Iota), Hannah Vidallier (North Vermilion), Elizabeth Fontenot (Port Barre) and Savannah Cates all bring college pitching experience back this season.
Leonards was the workhorse for the Lady Bengals as she finished the season with a 24-4 record.
Leonards had 78 strikeouts, 42 walks ana llowed 67 earned runs over 173.1 innings.
Vidallier was 9-0 last season with 18 strikeouts, 13 walks and 25 earned runs over 53.2 innings.
Cates was 8-0 last season with 45 strikeouts, 21 walks and 24 earned runs over 54.2 innings.
Fontenot was 2-0 with 23 strikeouts, 20 walks and 28 earned runs over 51.1 innings.